Clitheroe captains GB

Helen Clitheroe captains the GB & NI team for Saturday's Aviva International in Glasgow.

Three world medallists included in Glasgow line-up

Helen Clitheroe captains and Mo Farah highlights the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the Aviva International Match in Glasgow on Saturday. In what will be the final time GB & NI compete as a team together on home soil before the Olympics, the event in Scotland serves to kick off the build-up to the London 2012 in earnest. World 5,000m champion Farah will start preparations for what could be a double Olympic assault at the Kelvin Hall event, and he is one of three home athletes who captured World Championship medals in Daegu last year. Sprint hurdler Andy Turner and 1,500m runner Hannah England will also be in the line-up after they won bronze and silver respectively in Korea. Farah will run over the shorter distance of 1,500m for the first time, while England will continue to run at the same event and Turner will take on the challenge of the 60m hurdles.

Important

UKA head coach Charles Van Commenee said the Aviva International Match was an important fixture for all British athletes looking towards 2012, as it was important to start off such a pivotal year in good form. "It is important we get off to a great start in 2012 and start the year with a strong performance. Those athletes competing in Glasgow as part of their 2012 build-up will be facing world class opposition and it will be interesting to see how they perform this weekend and throughout the indoor season," said Van Commenee. "It is an Olympic year and it is great to get the opportunity to compete in front of our home crowd. Our athletes aspire to be the best and those selected for the meet will look to perform strongly in their first major fixture of the year. "Every chance to compete against quality opposition in 2012 is another stepping stone towards the athletes' targets, and the Aviva International Match is a superb opportunity for athletes to begin this important year with a strong performance in an Aviva GB & NI team vest." Veteran Clitheroe will captain the 17-strong team as she looks to defend her 2011 title in the 3,000m, while Mark Lewis-Francis will also be defending his title in the 60m sprint. Margaret Adeoya in the 200m and 800m chance Claire Gibson will be making their first appearance in the GB vest, with Gibson stepping in for the injured reigning 800m champion Jenny Meadows.

GB & NI team:

Men:
60m: Mark Lewis Francis (Linford Christie)
200m: Danny Talbot (Daniel Cossins)
400m: Richard Buck (Steve Fudge)
800m: Joe Thomas (Arwyn Davies)
1500m: Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar)
60m hurdles: Andy Turner (Lloyd Cowan)
High jump: Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Ahmed)
Pole vault: Steve Lewis (Dan Pfaff) Women:
60m: Jeanette Kwakye (Michael Afilaka)
200m: Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie)
400m: Shana Cox (Lloyd Cowan)
800m: Claire Gibson (Derek Parker)
1500m: Hannah England (Bud Baldaro)
3000m: Helen Clitheroe (John Nuttall)
60m hurdles: Gemma Bennett (Lloyd Cowan)
Long jump: Shara Proctor (Rana Reider)
Triple jump: Yamile Aldama (Frank Attoh)